Pretoria – The six men arrested for the brutal murder of Gauteng health department official and anti-corruption whistle-blower Babita Deokaran were on Monday denied bail when they appeared before the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court.
”The following order is made … applicant one, two, three, four, five, and six’s application to be released on bail is dismissed,” Sibanyoni read out the verdict to the accused men.
The magistrate earlier highlighted that the six men know that they stand to be jailed for a very long time, and that could cause them to abscond if released on bail.
Last month, advocate Peter Wilkins, counsel for Phakamani Hadebe, Zitha Hadebe, Sanele Mbele, Nhlangano Ndlovu, Siphiwe Mazibuko and Phakanyiswa Dladla, detailed a myriad of grounds, pleading for his clients’ release.
His primary submission was that the State’s case against the six men was inconclusive.
Wilkins recounted that the State’s case included a confession by Phakamani Hadebe, which he now contested.
Hadebe maintained that he was brutalised to make this confession. The confession also implicated former health minister Zweli Mkhize in Deokaran’s cold-blooded murder.
Wilkins told the court that Hadebe was instructed by police who tortured him to implicate Mkhize.
Deokaran was ambushed and gunned down outside her Winchester Hills home two months ago. She had reportedly just returned from dropping her child at school.
Her killing was suspected to be linked to her role in the investigation into dodgy personal protective equipment (PPE) contracts in Gauteng. She was reportedly a key witness.
The State believed it had a tight case against the six and opposed their bail.
Advocate Steve Rubin, the State prosecutor, submitted that the accused had not brought exceptional grounds to necessitate their release on bail.
“The State’s respectful submission is that all six … failed to display exceptional circumstances, and for that reason, bail should be denied,” Rubin said.
IOL